Blog Game Blog of Region 3A Finals: Lafayette 29, Phoebus 18 - FINAL

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Greetings from Wanner Stadium in Williamsburg on this comfortably, sunny Friday night in April. Who would've thought we'd have High School Football playoff action at this time of the calendar a year ago, huh?

It's the #2 seed Phoebus Phantoms (4-0) visiting the top-seeded Lafayette Rams (6-0) for the Region 3A Championship. The last time they squared off? It was in 1996 when the Phantoms won a regular season contest by a count of 35-8. In fact, Phoebus has won 11 in a row in this head-to-head series with Lafayette's last victory over the Phantoms coming in 1985.

The stakes are much higher, of course. The winner gets to host the winner of the Region 3B Championship between Goochland and Independence in next weekend's State Semis.

Follow updates here and via Twitter @hatfieldsports

 

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Lafayette gets the ball first and they start at their own 24. They run it with senior Miguel Reel and junior Sam Boyer for six yards. On 3rd down, they go to the air with sophomore Luke Hanson (UVA baseball commit) finding 6'3" two-sport junior Donald Gatling for a quick screen that nets nine yards and move the chains.

The Rams continue to muscle their way up the middle with the running game with Boyer, Reel and even QB Luke Hanson for a five-yard keeper. Nearly a lost fumble, but the Rams recover it before 3rd & from the 38 of Phoebus. The Phantoms would love to get a stop for loss here.

 

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Lafayette converts the 3rd & 1 with QB Luke Hanson pushing ahead for 3 to the Phoebus 35. Then it's more of Miguel Reel as the 6-foot-2, 215-pound ball carrier bulls his way forward for another first down. An incomplete pass on first down and the Rams have it 2nd & 10 from the 25 of Phoebus with 5:55 left in the opening period. This drive has been almost six minutes long and textbook Rams football.

The o-line of senior Lawrence Tyler (6-4, 280), senior Bradley White (6-5, 240), senior Tommy Gardner (6-4, 320), junior Andy Anderson (6-2, 250) and junior Bryce Copeland (6-0, 232) are controlling the line of scrimmage quite well to this point. A time-out called by the host Rams before 2nd & 10.

 

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The Rams sent a message with that opening drive. Now Phoebus has to answer back and show them their toughness and mettle.

 

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Phoebus begins with 5:30 in the opening period, trailing Lafayette 7-0, from their own 16 as dynamic three-phase playmaker Kymari Gray slips on the ensuing kickoff. Gray had two pick-sixes in last week's victory over Hopewell, who won the Class 3 state title in 2019. But Phoebus doesn't help its cause with a false start.

After sophomore Ty'Reon Taylor gains 4 yards - stopped by UVA signee Mike Green and senior Aidan Byron - the Phantoms nearly have Mark Wagner's first pass of the night picked off by senior DB Lamont Jones. Then a pass intended for Keshawn Pruitt on third down is off his fingertips.

Moises Luna punts it away and it is downed at the 40 of Phoebus, where Lafayette takes over with 4:31 to go in the opening frame.

 

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Junior tailback Adrian Warren gets the hand-off and he is leveled by a pair of Phantoms in Jalen Mayo and Kymari Gray, both of whom are juniors. Big fan of Gray's game as he's a potential next-level stud, more at wideout than at defensive back in my opinion. Very smooth. Amazingly, he got forward for a yard instead of a loss of a couple.

A pass is dropped by Mike Green, then the Rams back up five yards on a false start. On 3rd & 14, they hand it off to Sam Boyer and he rips off a big run of 12. That sets up 4th & 2 and there's no doubt in Andy Linn's mind to go for it from the 32 of the Phantoms. Miguel Reel just gets the yards necessary to move the chains before he is stopped by Jermond Simon-Davenport and Ibri Harrell.

On the next play, Reel rumbles 12 yards to the 18 of Phoebus and Phantoms Head Coach Jeremy Blunt burns his first time-out with 2:38 to go in the opening quarter, sensing that his defense needs to make a big stand to minimize the early bleeding.

 

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That was a 7-play, 40-yard drive that took 2:17 off the clock. Phoebus needs to get some punishing ground work of their own going with Ty'Reon Taylor and wrestle this Time of Possession / clock domination by Lafayette away.

 

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Very impressed with the work at corner by senior Lamont Jones of Lafayette. A

fter Ty'Reon Taylor gains 5 on the first play of the second series for Phoebus following Kymari Gray's 13-yard kickoff return to the 28, the Phantoms have an incomplete pass . On 3rd & 5 from the 33, instead of going back to the ground attack, the Phantoms put it in the air. When they do, you know the first guy QB Mark Wagner is looking for is Gray, who is blanketed by Jones. It's incomplete.

So Wagner, especially accurate with the short to intermediate passing game from the opener vs. Hampton to now, is 0 for 4 out of the gate. And for the second straight series, Phoebus goes 3 & out. That brings on the punting unit with 1:07 left in the opening quarter.

 

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Lafayette moved the stick before the end of the period, thanks in part to a 15-yard penalty from Phoebus and then Adrian Warren getting to the edge on a rush of 13.

The Rams have it with 2nd & 8 from the Phoebus 24 to begin the 2nd period. Phoebus is searching for answers on both sides of the ball, but I truly believe the defense will have to spark the offense here.

 

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Phoebus is a bit shell-shocked here as the Rams have come out and played a physical brand of smash-mouth football the Phantoms have become known for over the years. The Phantoms aren't out of this one, but they are now finding themselves in a 21-point deficit that is seldom overcome against a team the quality of Lafayette.

Phantoms nearly muff the ensuing kickoff, but will have it at their own 20 when play resumes following this injury time-out.

 

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Things have gone from bad to worse for the Phantoms. Lafayette fans are loving it below us in the pressbox - the limited count of them for a game that would ordinarily be a packed house or perhaps a sell-out if we weren't dealing with COVID regulations.

The Rams are looking for another score and a knockout punch here before the half. Bryce Cupp runs for 2, then Miguel Reel adds 7, another 6 and despite a penalty, the Rams are a yard away from a touchdown following another solid run from Cupp.

 

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Hey, good friend Pete Medhurst - well-known broadcaster up in the Washington, D.C. area who once upon a time did plenty of work on the airwaves in our neck of the woods, weights in on our ballgame here.

 

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And Lafayette finds the end zone again, plus adds the two-point conversion. As wild as it sounds, we're a touchdown away here from a running clock in the second half for the Rams.

Jeremiah White breaks off a long kickoff return for Phoebus of about 45-50 yards to the Lafayette 45. That may give the Phantoms some life here. They nearly have a touchdown home-run play as WR Kymari Gray lines up at QB and has an open Jalen Mayo, who is unable to haul it in on what was a beautiful trick play dialed by Jeremy Blunt and company.

Phoebus doesn't let that discourage them too much as they go back to Gray and Mayo on short passes by QB Mark Wagner. Good open field tackles on both by Aidan Byron first, then Donald Gatling limit the yardage. Mark Wagner scrambles for a first down on 4th & 4 - - their first advance of the chains on the night with 4:14 to go in the half.

That is followed by the longest play from scrimmage on the evening for Phoebus with Ty'Reon Taylor, their sophomore running back, busting off a 14-yard run to the Lafayette 16.

 

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2:20 left to go 2ndQ in Region 3A Football Championship - Lafayette 29, Phoebus 0.

Lamont Jones with the INT for the Rams off the deflection from Jaylin Pretlow. Lafayette takes over at their own 4.

 

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Well, Twitter apparently is down folks (not sure if everywhere or just here in Williamsburg), so we'll resort to updates here for now.

A fumble by Lafayette apparently recovered by David Cousins (we believe that was the guy for Phoebus... though not positive in my pressbox perch here near my media colleague Marty O'Brien from the Daily Press and Virginian-Pilot). The Phantoms take over at the 2 of Lafayette with 1:27 till intermission with a chance to cut into this lead.

 

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0:41 left 2ndQ - Lafayette 29, Phoebus 6. The Phantoms get on the board on a 3-yard TD run from Ty'Reon Taylor. The extra point is blocked by Myric Harris.

No chances with an onside kick from Phoebus. Lafayette will take a knee and go into the locker room up 23 points.

Phoebus will get the ball first to begin the 2nd half, and outside of an injury (looked to be a knee/leg injury) to wing-back and two-way performer Sam Boyer, the Rams have played a wonderful 24 minutes of football so far.

 

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Region 3A Football Championship at the HALF - Lafayette 29, Phoebus 6.

We'll go through some numbers in a bit...

 

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Well, Twitter apparently is down folks (not sure if everywhere or just here in Williamsburg), so we'll resort to updates here for now.

A fumble by Lafayette apparently recovered by David Cousins (we believe that was the guy for Phoebus... though not positive in my pressbox perch here near my media colleague Marty O'Brien from the Daily Press and Virginian-Pilot). The Phantoms take over at the 2 of Lafayette with 1:27 till intermission with a chance to cut into this lead.

Down everywhere, according to my 12 year old.

 

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Down everywhere, according to my 12 year old.

How ever in the world are we all going to function? I shouldn't chuckle... but I do.

 

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Stats at the Half:

Lafayette 29:
Luke Hanson - 3-7 for 27Yds; 5Car. 12Yds. 2TD's
Sam Boyer - 1-1 for 16Yds. 1-0 TD/Int. ratio; 2Car. 16Yds.
Miguel Reel - 17Car. 76Yds. TD; 1Rec. 6Yds.
Adrian Warren - 3Car. 17Yds.
Bryce Cupp - 4Car. 13Yds.
Donald Gatling - 2Rec. 25Yds. TD
Loyal Gresham & Aidan Byron - 3 Tackles apiece

Rams - 41 plays for 177 total yards (33 rushes for 134 yards, 1 lost fumble; 4-8 for 43 pass yards); 1 turnover; 2 penalties for 10 yards.


Phoebus 7:
Mark Wagner - 2-7 for 6Yds. 0-1TD/Int. ratio
Ty'Reon Taylor - 5Car. 27Yds. TD
Kymari Gray - 1Rec. 3Yds; 5 Tackles (3 Solo)
Jalen Mayo - 1Rec. 3Yds; 6 Tackles (5 Solo)
Malik Hardy - 5 Tackles (3 Solo)

Phantoms - 18 plays for 29 total yards (10 rushes for 23 yards; 2-8 for 6 yards passing, 1 intercept); 2 turnovers; 5 penalties for 24 yards.


The BIG STAT - Lafayette with a 18:50 to 5:10 advantage in Time of Possession in the 1st Half!

 

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A great start to the 2nd half for Phoebus. Donald Gatling picked the 2-point pass and was thinking of scoring the other way, which he did. But in High School Football, that doesn't result in points from the opposing team.

Watch out for a potential onside here for the Phantoms.

 

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A huge opportunity coming for the Phantoms, following a run of 3 by Adrian Warren and then Bryce Cupp had 4 yards up the middle with a chance to get more before Jalen Mayo made the potential game-turning play.

Phoebus gets backed up 5 yards and then the pass over the middle is incomplete as Mark Wagner is unable to find Kymari Gray for a touchdown. The Phantoms still have a good chance to get on the board here with 2nd & Goal from the 14.

Wagner is dropped for a loss of 3 by Mike Green and Bryce Copeland following a holding penalty on the Phantoms. Lafayette fans are not roaring approval though as Mike Green is helped off with what appears to be a left leg injury.

 

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That gives Lafayette a major sigh as they're now able to go back to the ground game, attack the between the tackles and milk some clock.

 

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Pounding it up the middle with Miguel Reel, the Rams move the chains and then get the benefit of a horse collar penalty on Phoebus. The Phantoms hold the Rams to a gain of 4 and then a missed chance on 2nd & 6 through the air. Bryce Cupp is met by Trevion Stevenson, the UNC signee of Phoebus, along with Darius Matthews, on third down, where a flag is thrown. It's a holding penalty on the Rams that the Phantoms will accept.

Instead of running on 3rd & 16 and playing the field position game, Andy Linn wants to test the Phantoms through the air. He goes with the double pass, but Donald Gatling's toss with the long wind-up is batted down by Jalen Mayo, who's having one heck of a third period. Lafayette is on to punt.

 

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Kymari Gray's 22-yard punt return puts Phoebus at the 37 of Lafayette with 5:19 to go in the 3rd period.

Junior Loyal Gresham is having himself a fine night off the edge. He just walloped QB Mark Wagner for probably his third or fourth stop behind the line of scrimmage tonight. A pass intended for Kymari Gray is incomplete with Lamont Jones playing good coverage again.

On 4th & 12, Wagner finds Gray along the sideline and it's right at the first down marker at the 27. They're going to measure to see, however. From the first glance it appeared he got it and he indeed did move the sticks.

 

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Phantoms QB Mark Wagner had a splendid 16-yard run up the middle to set up the touchdown a play later from Taylor.

Momentum has definitely switched and Phoebus has settled into this one. Can Lafayette keep its composure and put together one more scoring drive to salt this one away?

Phoebus nearly comes up with a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, but Adrian Warren is ruled down after the 24-yard return.

 

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Phoebus has clamped down on the Lafayette run game as Miguel Reel only gets 2 and then is stuffed for no gain as big sophomore DT Mycal McMullin (6-2, 264) meets him in his tracks. The Rams may need to diversify the ground game and get others besides Reel involved because he has run the ball 23 times for 97 yards and is probably tired.

Movement up front will back Lafayette up five yards and now it may be a throwing situation on 3rd & 13 from their own 38. Mike Green hauls in a 6-yard pass from QB Luke Hanson. The Rams punt it away.

Phoebus takes over at their own 32 with 30 seconds to go in this 3rd period. They're very much in this ballgame, only trailing 29-18 after being down by as many as 29 points late in the 2nd quarter. Quite a turnaround.

 

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Most of all, the return game with Gray and the Phoebus defense doing a better job of tackling against the run has gotten them back in this one. Now Lafayette's defense needs to answer and put the Phantoms in a 3rd & long situation where a mistake could occur.

 

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On 2nd & 1, the Phantoms have an incomplete... until the refs call pass interference on Lafayette. That puts the Phantoms at the Rams 44 and then they move up to the 38 after a Mark Wagner completion to Keshawn Pruitt.

Mike Green, the UVA signee, comes through unscathed with an enormous sack to drop Wagner for a loss of 6. Back to the air on 3rd & 10 and Wagner's pass is too high for his intended target Kymari Gray. Phoebus appears to bringing on the punting unit on 4th & 10 from the Lafayette 44.

Moises Luna's kick takes a hop into the end zone for a touchback, so the Rams begin at their own 20 with 10:03 to go in regulation.

 

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It's Bryce Cupp for 5, then Miguel Reel for 5 more to move the chains. Adrian Warren gets no gain, maybe loses a yard. Mike Green comes up with a 9-yard catch, and then on 3rd & 1, the QB Luke Hanson gets behind that sturdy o-line and powers ahead for 5 to the 44. Time is ticking off ... and that hurts the Phantoms.

 

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Another key 3rd down conversion - on 3rd & 3 - and it's Adrian Warren on the sweep. Lafayette is putting the nail in the coffin here, unless they turn it over, as they are burning clock and maintaining their 29-18 with a chance to increase it even. The drive began at the 10:03 mark in regulation after Jeremy Blunt decided to punt it away, and now they've been able to convert a pair of third downs via the ground game to get the game clock under 6 minutes,

Phoebus won't get it back - unless they use time-outs or get a takeaway - with any more than 4 minutes left in regulation.

 

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Miguel Reel breaks an 11-yard run on 2nd & 12, but then QB Luke Hanson fumbles it and fortunately the Rams recover. Before the play clock expires, Hanson wisely uses the Rams' first time-out, with 4:07 to play in regulation. Phoebus has two time-outs left. A 4th & 1 from the Phoebus 35 coming for the Rams.

 

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Once again, the interior of the Lafayette o-line with Tommy Gardner, Bradley White and Andy Anderson gets great push. Luke Hanson gets the necessary yardage on 4th & 1 for the Rams.

Miguel Reel gets stopped for no gain or maybe a yard pickup. Ttrevion Stevenson, the UNC signee, and Mycal McMullin, combine for a tackle for loss of Hanson. He goes back about 4 yards. So 3rd & 14 we'll call it for Lafayette from the 37 of the Phantoms, who burn their final time-out with 3:21 to go in regulation.

 

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STUD performance tonight.

 

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More to come later...

 

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Postgame Video Interview with Lafayette Head Football Coach Andy Linn:


Lafayette Head Football Coach Andy Linn chats with VirginiaPreps.com's Matthew Hatfield following his team's 29-18 triumph over Phoebus for the Region 3A Championship at Wanner Stadium in Williamsburg on Friday, April 16, 2021.

Now 108-14 overall in his tenth season at the helm, Linn has the Rams making their fourth trip to the State Playoffs in seven years. Lafayette jumped out to a 29-0 lead before half-time and finished the game by out-gaining Phoebus 288-105 on the evening.

With the win, Lafayette is now 7-0 overall on the season. This marked the program's first win over Phoebus since 1985 when they pitched a 17-0 shutout, then under Melvin Jones, at Darling Stadium. The two teams had not played since 1996 when the Phantoms won their 11th in a row in the series.

Up next for the Rams, they will play host to Region 3B Champ Independence, which defeated Goochland 27-17, in the Class 3 State Semis on April 24th in Williamsburg.



Postgame Video Interview with Lafayette's Miguel Reel & Mike Green:


Lafayette's Miguel Reel and Michael Green chat with VirginiaPreps.com's Matthew Hatfield following their 29-18 victory over Phoebus in the Region 3A Championship at Wanner Stadium in Williamsburg on Friday, April 16, 2021.

Reel ran the football a career-high 33 times for 146 yards and a touchdown. He carried the ball 16 times after half-time for 70 yards.

Green, who is signed to play his College Football at the University of Virginia in the ACC, had three receptions for 27 yards on offense to go with five tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery defensively.

With the win, Lafayette moved to 7-0 overall. This ended an 11-game losing streak in the head-to-head series with Phoebus, who they were playing for the first time since 1996. It was the first win for the Rams over the Phantoms since 1985.

The Rams will play host to second-year program Independence, who beat Goochland 27-17 in the Region 3B Championship, in the Class 3 State Semis on Saturday, April 24th in Williamsburg.

 

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Final Stats:

Lafayette Rams 29: (7-0 Overall)
Luke Hanson - 5-10 for 42Yds. 0-0 TD/Int. ratio; 9Car. 15Yds. 2TD's
Miguel Reel - 33Car. 146Yds. TD (17Car. 76Yds. TD in 1st Half); 1Rec. 6Yds.
Sam Boyer - 1-1 for 16Yds. 1-0 TD/Int. ratio; 2Car. 16Yds; 1 Assist Tackle (left with injury)
Adrian Warren - 8Car. 31Yds.
Bryce Cupp - 6Car. 22Yds; 0.5 TFL
Donald Gatling - 2Rec. 25Yds. TD; 3 Solo Tackles, INT
Mike Green - 3Rec. 27Yds; 5 Tackles, 2 Sacks, Fumble Recovery
Loyal Gresham - 5 Tackles (2 Solo), 3.5 TFL, Sack
Aidan Byron - 4 Tackles, Sack
Lamont Jones - INT, PBU

Rams - 72 plays for 288 total yards (60 rushes for 230 yards, 2 lost fumbles; 6-12 for 58 yards passing); 2 turnovers; 5 defensive sacks; 7 penalties for 43 yards


Phoebus Phantoms 18: (4-1 Overall)
Mark Wagner - 6-15 for 58Yds. 1-2 TD/Int. ratio
Ty'Reon Taylor - 7Car. 30Yds. 2TD's (2Car. 3Yds. TD in 2nd Half)
Keshawn Pruitt - 2Rec. 31Yds. TD
Kymari Gray - 2Rec. 15Yds; 7 Tackles (4 Solo)
Jalen Mayo - 2Rec. 12Yds; 8 Tackles (7 Solo), PBU, FF, FR
Austin Gilliam - 9 Tackles (6 Solo)
Mchal McMullin - 7 Tackles (3 Solo), 0.5TFL
Jermond Simon-Davenport - 7 Tackles (4 Solo)
Trevion Stevenson - 6 Tackles, 0.5TFL

Phantoms - 35 plays for 105 total yards (19 rushes for 47 yards; 6-16 for 58 yards passing, 2 intercepts); 2 turnovers; 0 defensive sacks; 9 penalties for 54 yards.